U.S. wants military cooperation pact with Sri Lanka to tackle red tape: TV
The United States wants a special forces cooperation agreement with Sri Lanka to sidestep bureaucracy and has no intention of setting up a military base in the country, the American ambassador to the island nation said in a television interview.
Hong Kong in security lockdown as it braces for latest mass protest
Hong Kong police locked down the city center on Sunday as it braced for yet another mass protest over an extradition bill that has plunged the Chinese-ruled financial hub into crisis and triggered violent clashes.
Pompeo to meet with Mexico’s foreign minister to discuss immigration, trade
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet with Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard on Sunday to discuss migration and trade, amid heightened bilateral tension ahead of a deadline on a deal that removed tariff threats on Mexican exports.
Zelenskiy’s party in spotlight as Ukraine holds snap parliament election
Ukrainians started to vote in a snap parliamentary election on Sunday that could consolidate the power of new President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and hand the novice politician a stronger mandate for driving change in the war-scarred nation.
Pacifist constitution reform at stake as Japan goes to polls
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s ruling bloc was forecast to win a solid majority in an upper house election on Sunday that could determine whether his dream of revising the post-war, U.S.-drafted pacifist constitution can be kept alive.
Panama says withdrawing flag from tanker towed to Iran, cites violations
Panama’s maritime authority said on Saturday it had begun the process of withdrawing the registration of an oil tanker called MT Riah, which was towed to Iran after it disappeared from ship tracking maps in the Strait of Hormuz on July 14.
Wildfires hit central Portugal, 1,000 firefighters mobilized
More than 1,000 firefighters battled three blazes sweeping across central Portugal early on Sunday, prompting authorities to partially evacuate a village and leaving one person with severe injuries.
Leader of moderate Islamist party to stand for parliamentary elections in Tunisia
Rached Ghannouchi, the influential leader of Tunisia’s moderate Islamist Ennahda party, will stand in the next parliamentary elections in October, a move widely seen as an attempt to seek a leadership position in the country.
U.S. adviser Bolton travels to Japan, South Korea amid trade dispute
U.S. national security adviser John Bolton departed on Saturday for a trip to Japan and South Korea, two key allies of Washington that are embroiled in a trade dispute.
Britain calls ship seizure ‘hostile act’ as Iran releases video of capture
Britain on Saturday denounced Iran’s seizure of a British-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf as a “hostile act” and rejected Tehran’s explanation that it seized the vessel because it had been involved in an accident.
